


Written

by Ninaalejandro



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26952457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ninaalejandro/pseuds/Ninaalejandro
Summary: The system that was ruling the ninja world was supposed to be right. Or so she thought. Who supported, worked, lived in this ruling system was living in the right path. However, those who denied this system, those who left their villages to live on their own, those were traitors, as this path would only lead to perdition.Reality is far more complex, and she would learn it at her expenses. It took few minutes for the world to crumble under her feet, and for her to do what she never thought she would. It all began with that meeting. The day she met the legendary "monster" of the village of Takigakure.
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Dear readers,  
> I apologize for the hazy summary. This fanfiction will be about Fuu and Kakuzu, how their pasts are actually intermingled, and what impact it will have for the future of the Shinobi world.  
> I changed my mind multiple times but I think I got it right now (inshaAllah). The story starts with Fuu meeting Kakuzu the first time after the chunin exam we see in the anime(cf. Naruto Shippuden Episode 413). From there, the story will differ from canon considerably but the characters will be kept as much canon-like as possible.

“What a bother...” Fuu said as Yoro told them to stop on a rocky spot. She was still thinking about the past few days. She never met and befriended with so many people before and, deep down, she was fighting the anguishing feeling of solitude she would return to back at the village. However, those two strange people who were following them for almost half an hour didn't promise anything good.  
“ We don't know who you are... But we've been onto you for a while now”, said Yoro.  
As soon as he said so, two tall figures came out of the shadowy forest.  
“I told him to stop since not being able to kill you is such a pain in the b**.” said the man on the right. He was a tall, with silver hair and a necklace with a strange symbol. For some reason, her intuition told her to completely ignore the man. There was something odd she couldn't quite place her finger on and it didn't help he was carrying a giant red scythe. The other man, on the other hand... Was wearing the foreband of her Village.  
“Hey Mister, are you a former Takigakure-nin?” He looked familiar. Few people in the village were tanned. And the village didn't have a history for missing nin... _Of course!_

  
“I know you! After the failed assassination attempt at the First Hokage you killed and stole the hearts of the elders. You're Kakuzu-sempai!” A wave of excitement washed over her as she was realizing in front of whom she was standing. Kakuzu was the legend of Takigakure. Some children tales had been developed around his character, depicting him as the monster who carried the Earth Grudge. It was said that he nurtured his being with hearts of those who ruined others' lives without ever getting punished. Yet, those were only tales. The official version said he that after the failure of the mission he had been assigned, he simmered resentment against the elders. He then stole the secret Technique of the village and killed the elders before leaving. Not much was known about what happened next for him as he never showed up again.  
Kakuzu had intrigued her ever since she was a child. She was one of those who preferred believe that those targeted as evil were not as wicked, and that it was the lack of kindness and warmth that lacked in their lives that turned them into what others would call monsters. Deep down, she felt she could have been like them. She had been just been lucky enough to have someone who cared for her and was feeling this emptiness inside - even if he wasn't human. So when she would feel low and lonely, she would think about Kakuzu and what kind of life did he'd had once out of the village. Did he feel excluded and lonely too? Did the tales had an ounce of truth? Many times she made up the story for herself only, where she would come up with reasons of why Kakuzu had done such a thing, and where someone would have broken his curse as it happened in stories with a good ending. However, she never thought she would meet him for real. And that brought up another opportunity.

  
She knew they were from the same clan and she was the last surviving member. She didn't know much about her family and how her entire clan came to disappear but she always hoped that one day, someone would tell her how things went and clearing her family history up. It seemed that her lucky stars didn't leave her these days because she just met the perfect person who had answers for all her questions.  
In her excitement she barely heard the silver haired guy asking if she was stupid. She couldn't help but wonder why such a man like Kakuzu would hang around with someone like him. She briefly wondered what the black cloak with red clouds meant - as both of them were wearing it - before realizing that the important thing was to put the rogue ninja on their good side. For as much as she dreamed to meet him, he was still known for being a dangerous criminal - and reality was different from the ideals. She would need to act with subtlety. And the only thing that came up to her mind was what she read on books when people meet for the first time...  
“I always wanted to meet you. Maybe we could start like casual acquaintances around a cup of tea?” she said as she gave her hand over for a handshake. But he stepped back slightly and answered “I didn't come to here today to become friends with you.”  
“Well, that's too bad.” _This is how real life works._ If things couldn't be settled with a discussion, it only meant he was here to fight. _And he's got no idea in front of whom he is standing, she thought before_

*****

  
It's all my fault, she thought as she made a cocoon with Chomei's help in order to gain some time to stay safe and come up with a new plan. Kegon lost an arm, and he was now losing an awful quantity of blood. Yoro was exhausted. They were all exhausted actually. The Chunin exam had revealed to be more tiresome than what she expected and this situation didn't happen at the right moment. Yoro was trying to stop Kegon's bleeding as best as he could but they needed to leave as soon as possible. The smell of iron and sweat was filling the air, only to feed the growing anguish that was taking place inside her. Everything went quickly and fast, only now was she processing what had happened just few minutes ago. Like never before, she felt she got herself into a corner.

If only she didn't act so sheepishly.

If only she didn't start the fight.

She overestimated her capacities. She thought that, even if he was one of the most dangerous and experienced ninja of the Shinobi world, he could never stand against Chomei. And yet, she was wrong. He was not even the problem. He just jumped back at the attack and told his companion to be careful. The other man seemed oddly unharmed but she was too focused on Kakuzu she didn't notice the other from behind, swirling his scythe. It was then that Kegon intervened. He push her aside but lost his arm in the process. In his attempt to get back both of them, Yoro had got injured by the poisoned mist she used for the attack, as he had to cross it to reach them in the fastest way. Meanwhile, Kegon's arm bleeding tainted the attacker and seemed to be enough of a distraction for them to escape because he got focused on complaining about the blood that dirtied his cloack. Kakuzu, though, didn't move.  
While they retreated in the cocoon, she vaguely heard Kakuzu reproaching his partner his foolishness and saying they needed her alive. So they came for her. But why? Where did they want to take her? Did they know she was a jinchuuriki?  
She knew she had acted stupidly. Kakuzu didn't even know her and didn't care. Yet, it hurt somehow. What had she expected? Had she hoped that, as a fellow pariah and member of the same clan, he would have accepted to talk to her? That he would have pitied her? Shame fell on her and was threatening to make her crumble. When he refused her offer, she had told herself that he had missed the chance he'd been given and that, actually, a traitor like him didn't deserve mercy. She was determined to show him how powerful she was and that she wasn't to be underestimated. She'd never thought once that it would have turned against her.

Silence was filling the space between them while Fuu turned her attention back on the scene in front of her. She was standing a few meters away from Kegon and Yoro, watching the last successfully stop the bleeding. Kegon's arm was standing right next to him. It was sickly white.  
It was then that Yoro suddenly stood up and said: “Get ready to attack. We're leaving now”.

*****

  
He always dreaded the moment he would have to confront his former village again. There hadn't been a single day he didn't reminisce the past, and wonder about the consequences it had in years and decades it followed. However, as much as he dreaded the moment, he was also longing for it to happen as soon as possible. So, when the chief asked him to capture the seven-tailed beast, he was somehow relieved. He didn't have much time left. He was getting close to the final account. Moreover, what happened to the child was also his fault. Freeing the child from a life lived as a military tool, even if it that meant her death, would be his way of fixing his past mistakes. Too focused on his internal turmoil, he didn't notice he was then rushing until his stupid partner started complaining once more.  
“Oih, easy man! We can't even kill her so why're you in a f**** hurry? It is really pissing me off. We either kill for money or don't kill at all. Seriously, it's such a pain! I'll have to double the prayers to ask Jashin-sama for forgiveness...”  
If the imbecile didn't stop complaining, he would find a way to get rid off him, it didn't matter if he was immortal, as long as he stopped yelling like a goose. As if that day wasn't already a bad one...


	2. Chapter 2

It had been strangely easy to escape. _Too easy_ , she thought as they made their way back to Takigakure. They didn't have much time to think and things happened quickly. As Fuu dissolved the cocoon, she and Yoro combined respectively her Hiding in scale powder with his Shuriken Shadow clones that they trew against their opponents, and left as quickly as they could, with Kegon on Yoro's back. Their sight should have been blurred for at least 5 minutes and Yoro's shurikens hopefully should have injured them. Even if it wasn't a fatal blow, they'd hoped it would have helped them gain some time. To disorient their enemies even more, Yoro thought of sending three clones on two different roads leading to Taki. It had been decided they would take the longest road.

Yoro and Kegon were a couple of meters in front of her. None of them spoke for a while. Now that things were settled, she realized the gravity of the situation for Kegon. Without his main arm, he wouldn't be able to perform ninjustsu anymore. If there was something worst than death for a ninja, it was to be incapacitated. Being a ninja in a Shinobi village was the highest rank someone could hope for; especially if said person was a Jonin. Losing the capacity to fight was equivalent to lose one's own identity. And unfortunately, sometimes it would even end up with a suicide. This burden would follow him all his life if they didn't find a way to fix his arm. She felt her heart sink at the thought. They brought the detached arm with them. She didn't know much about medicine and surgery, but perhaps they could find a doctor along the way who would be able to fix it.

“Uh, Yoro-san, Kegon-san, is there a village we could stop in along the road? Maybe we could find a doctor who can fix Kegon's arm. It isn't too late, right?” No answer came from the two men. They kept jumping on the trees at the same pace. She didn't know how far from the village they were. Maybe they would arrive in time to see a doctor right there. Seeing it wasn't a good time to talk, she let silence settle between them. The forest seemed to run from the corner of their eyes, and before they could realize how far did they go, they were already in front of Taki's gate.

****

“What the heck man! Feeling compassionate for your fellow villagers? Let me tell you something, don't give a s*** to this things, they're not worth it I tell you.” said Hidan, gesturing his hands to enhance his words. There was nothing that annoyed him more than getting attacked and not being able to defend himself. He wasn't a masochist as the people thought. He only enjoyed pained during the rituals, not because he himself liked being injured, but because of the pleasure of inducing it to someone else for Jashin's sake. He hadn't been able to figure out where those three went and, he sincerely didn't care. It was already too much not being able to sacrifice anything. When the mist dissipated, the first thing he'd seen was Kakuzu standing close to what had been a green strange ball. _Did he really try to catch them?_ He knew Kakuzu was strong enough and those three wouldn't have been able to stand against him. If he was still there and there were no traces of those three, did it mean he let them go? _He could have tried something since he was in such a rush just minutes before_ , thought Hidan as he was walking towards him.

Perhaps the old man got emotional. Hidan remembered hearing something about age softening the soul, but he wasn't sure this could be applied to Kakuzu. Ever since their first meeting, Kakuzu had been nothing less than a cold-hearted jerk. The guy lingered only for money. _Perhaps this is why he didn't fight at all_. But deep down, Hidan knew it wasn't completely true. He didn't know his past in detail, but he'd had to go through a lot during his long life to look so low. The man's eyes looked either angry or completely blank. Hidan knew better than to judge him. Life was a burden. Unlike many other people on Earth who were longing for immortality, for Hidan it was only a tool to achieve a greater goal. It turned out to be a curse. Oddly, it seemed to be the same for Kakuzu. Back then, he had thought that, since they were both carrying the burden of not being able to die, they could, in a minor measure, get comforted with one another company, although at the moment they hated each other. Wasn't there a saying about misery loving company? That was the time he decided to join the Akatsuki.

Kakuzu didn't reply, instead he kept staring blankly in front of him. Hidan didn't want to add to his pain. So whatever had pushed the greedy old man to let those three go, he would try his best to make him forget what was bothering him. And the only way he could think about was to start an argument.

“I bet it's because you were thinking about the next bounty, eh? No money, not worthy. Ahh, you're so tiring man, I'm really having enough of you... So what's next? We go after them or take a break? Because if you don't want to chase them down, I have to pray for the sacrifices I couldn't be able to perform today. And it's gonna take a long time so...”

“Shut up Hidan”, he replied, turning his head on the other side.

“Okay, then can we go back to the headquarters? Or a hiding. There's a hiding not far from here, right? 'Cause I have to take a shower too. Because of these a**** I'm all full of blood, it's disgusting. And I don't know you, but their attack was quite dishonest. Seriously, I couldn't see anything and they threw that lot of shuriken, it was f*** painful...”

This idiot was literally giving him a migraine, but he wasn't in the mood of bickering so he just turned on his heels and headed back to the hiding. Hidan didn't seem interested at all at following the tailed beast to the village, which was a good thing. Kakuzu didn't want to set foot in his old village. They would find another way to catch her another time, or the chief would send another team. He was still lost in his thoughts. The meeting somehow confused him. For the girl to act that way, it only meant she'd been isolated from society very young. She seemed to have no idea of the dangers and she was rash. It wouldn't have been difficult to catch her, but something had stuck him. As much as he tried to convince himself that it was the right thing to do, he couldn't take off the thought that she was still a child. Why did she have to die for something she wasn't responsible for? He had seen an awful amount of unfairness and sorrow during his life, and he was getting tired. He hadn't always been a monster.

As they made their way back to the hiding, he was careful to not walk on a line of ants.


	3. Chapter 3

Shibuki and some other villagers, were waiting for them at the entrance of the village. When Kegon and Yoro, who was still on his back, showed up from the shadow, their families and friends rushed in their direction, followed by a group of medical ninjas assigned to check them up upon their arrival. Fuu was a couple of meters behind but no one came to welcome her return or to check on her. Head hanging low, she didn't look up went Shibuki called her name. He had already guessed that something went wrong. The group was expected to return hours ago and no message of an eventual matter that would have delayed their arrival had ever reached.

As soon as the small crowd formed around the two men, a shrill cry froze the already tense atmosphere. Shibuki turned his head to the group and made his way through the two men. When he assigned Kegon and Yoro the mission of join the Chunin to protect Fuu, he never expected such an accident to happen. They were two of the most poweful Jonin of the village and they were high above the level expected for the Chunin exam. But what came into sight was something he would have never imagined. Yoro had cuts all over his body and Kegon had his right arm. They were both pale and exhausted. On the other hand, Fuu seemed completely uninjured. They would need to settle the matter as soon as possible but first, Yoro and Kegon needed to recover. The medical ninjas preceeded his thoughts and rushed both Yoro and Kegon inside the village's hospital. The crowed followed them inside the village, leaving Fuu and Shibuki alone at the gates. Something went wrong and he needed to now right away if it was an imminent danger or if the incident was a pure casualty. Fuu would have to answer for the three of them.

_Kakuzu is alive._

Shibuki had a hard time to believe what he had just heard. He tried to remember the information his predecessors left on Kakuzu. The official story was of course saying that he was on the wrong side, and it was his pride that backfired when he returned from the failed mission. He then directed his frustration on the elders and stole the Earth Grudge justu only to become a monster. Of course, reality was quite different from tales and the older generations preferred just remembering his atrocious acts rather than what pushed him to do so.

Everything could be brought back to the time him and his siblings were sold as slaves to a rich family of the village who was close to the ruler. The elders had promised him to set his family free if he succeeded in the assassination of the First Hokage. Unfortunately, it was meant to be a suicide mission in order to take revenge from Konoha and ask for a retribution. Kakuzu wasn't supposed to come back. And yet, he did. Archives mentioned he had been imprisoned and tortured. The First Hokage gave the Seven-Tailed Beast Chomei to seal the end of the hostilities between the two countries. It was then sealed on Eren, Kakuzu's sister, which made her the first jinchuriki of the village. The seal would be transmitted for four generations by birth, making Fuu the fourth one. It wasn't mentioned on the archives how he escaped from jail, and neither how had he stolen the Forbidden Jutsu of the village. It was only said that he killed and stole the elders hearts. After leaving the village, he built up a reputation of bounty hunter but he had never put a foot on Takigakure again and after a decade, no one ever heard of him again. He became a legend in the village, and tales for children were invented around his character, depicting him like a monster who harvested people's heart for their bad actions to feed the Earth's grudge.

In some ways, Kakuzu had every right to hate his former village, but more than half a century passed and Shibuki couldn't understand why he would show up now.

Thinking back at the description that Fuu made, he realized he had passed over an important detail.

“You said he was wearing a black cloak with red clouds, and another man with the same wearing was with him”.

“Yes, exactly! And he's the one who cut Kegon's arm... But I think his attack wasn't meant to hurt me that badly. It was because Kegon came from the back that the scythe cut his arm...”

“You couldn't know if it was meant to be fatal or not! Of course Kegon intervened, I told him to protect you, but that's not the important thing. Now focus!” said Shibuki in a fit of anger, as Fuu lowered her head. He knew she didn't mean to put the responsibility for what happened on Kegon but the situation was overwhelming him and he needed to understand how much of a threat were those two men and if the village was in immediate danger. He needed to contact the Hokage as soon as possible. Perhaps they will be able provide some information about the matter, even send reinforcement if necessary. Moreover, they had a jinchuriki as well who could be hunted down by those same people, if it hadn't already happened.

According to Fuu, they probably knew she was a jinchuriki, and they wanted to take her alive, perhaps because they didn't have the means to extract the beast. The fact that they were wearing similar cloaks and working in pair could mean they were part of an organization. For the moment, he needed to mobilize the forces around the village in case they came to take Fuu once more. Also, he needed her to go back to her house in the outskirts of the village. He couldn't risk to have the Tailed Beast show up inside the village, it would only provoke more damage and he didn't want to risk his people's life. Having her outside would make it easier to move her if things went wrong. He was so absorbed by his thoughts he forgot that Fuu was still sitting in front of him.

She looked abashed, but it was nothing like the inner pain that was pounding on her chest. Shame was showering over her. The images of what happened were played continuously on her mind, only to prove her she'd been wrong all along. _It's been all my fault from the beginning. Not only did I give both Kegon and Yoro a hard time during all the Chunin exam... I am the one who delayed our departure from Suna and insisted to stay a little more. If we didn't delay, we wouldn't have met them. If I didn't act so stupidly and was more careful, Kegon wouldn't have lost his arm. All this wouldn't have happened if I wasn't so stupid and selfish. Shibuki is right to be angry. I always make mistakes. I am incapable of doing the right things._ Yet, she was careful to push aside the memory of when she invited the Rogue ninja to discuss over tea. If she could choose a memory to erase, it would be that one. At that very moment, she felt she deserved the capital sentence for her stupidity. Tears were coming up when she felt a hand on her head that took her away from her thoughts. It was Shibuki's, and he was just in front of her, wearing an empathetic smile on his face. But it only made her feel worse.

“Sorry Fuu, I shouldn't have yelled on you. Things like this happen. Now we have to put you on safety, okay? I am going to call all the shinobi of the village, we are going to organize our defense in case they show up again. Everything will be alright Fuu. Now, can you please wait outside, I'll need you to be here to tell you how we're going to proceed after the meeting. I'll have someone to escort you back home when it will be done and I'll send more people later. When everything will be finished, you'll tell me how the Chunin exam went, uh?”

Shibuki made his best to reassure her but she could feel the burden of responsibilities that was put on him, although his words tried to be reassuring. She was desperate to make up for her mistakes and she was even more eager to make him happy. This is why she told herself she would obey him to the letter. As Shibuki accompanied her outside, the freshness of the breeze turned down the emotions that were boiling inside and allowed her to calm down. _Everything will be alright_ , she thought. She didn't know yet that things were only starting to get worse.


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as they arrived at the hideout, Hidan knew he wouldn't see his partner for the rest of the day. He was always in a sour mood after a mission – something Hidan would never be able to understand because they were always hunting down bounties and they always ended up with suitcases full of money. So when a break between two missions was allowed – which it rarely happened – they would go back to the headquarters were each member had got a room to sleep in and leave their belongings. Hidan knew better than to disturb him in moments like these because last time he got bored and he went to ask Kakuzu if he would enjoy a fight to kill time, he ended up with a third-degree burn that even with his healing capacities, it took him a whole day to properly recover.

Of course, this time wasn't any different, if not worse than usual. However, before he would allow the grumpy cat to dive into his sorrow, they needed to figure out what to say to the leader about the failed mission. He'd been assigned the same mission so he would be hold responsible too. He preferred being there and contest any possible punishment they might get for not bringing that stupid tailed-beast rather than having it fall on him without him being the wiser.

“So, what do we tell the boss? The Jinchuriki was actually super cunning and escaped us? Ha! That would be a naughty lie, right? I found the girl a bit stupid.”

Kakuzu kept looking straight in front of him. After a few seconds of silence he hummed, but Hidan doubted he listened to him at all, adding much to his initial frustration. He was about to argue that he was tired of being ignored all the time when Kakuzu finally spoke:

“I'll speak to the chief alone” and started walking.

End of the conversation.

In another time, Hidan would have started bickering with him, or fight, even when he knew he had no chance to get what he wanted, just for the pleasure of getting a sort of revenge on the other man's stubbornness. But this time, he just stood there, and watched his partner silently entering the old temple. _Today has been a bad day,_ Hidan thought as he followed him. Dealing with one's past wasn't an easy task, even for the most cold hearted criminal. There were things that were better kept buried inside one's soul, and meeting people who knew these things only added pain to a never-healed wound. But that was his struggle to fight, and Hidan couldn't do anything for him. He would tease him later when he would be in a better mood -for as much as Kakuzu's mood can be - perhaps... " _over a tea_ ". Hidan snickered at the thought, replaying the scene in his mind. It was hilariously naive from her to believe Kakuzu would even consider her invitation, not to mention that it was extremely dangerous to do so with anyone with an infamous reputation. In the other hand, he found it somewhat cute. He doubted anyone from his village would see him otherwise than murderer...

Shaking his head to come back to reality, he trotted to catch up with Kakuzu and entered the temple. He had other things to deal with at the moment: he still had to perform his prayers and he wouldn't sneeze at a quick shower either.

If his guesses were right, they would still have to meet the leader in person to discuss the matter, so they would have to leave to Amegakure sooner or later.

“I'll be in the left wing” he shouted to Kakuzu who was walking straight to the giant hall that used to host the ceremonies.

The temple was located at the borders between the Land of Grass and the Land of Fire, in a remote area surrounded by a forest. The hideout was a pivotal point for the members of the Akatsuki as its central location permitted to easily access various country. Plus, it wasn't far from the Headquarters in Amegakure. Although the building was old, the inside seemed to have been renovated as it was quite livable. The left wing hosted the rooms used by the monks who had inhabited the place. They had a minimum of furniture that allowed the passer-byes to rest an get comfortable before continuing their journeys.

The sun was hanging low, and the sun-rays that entered through the arcades were making a show of the dust particles that were dancing in the air. A wave of melancholy was flowing through the late afternoon sky.

While contemplating the scenery, Hidan thought that spending the night there wouldn't be a bad idea after all.

****

The sound of the breeze playing with the the tree leaves was soothing. Fuu was sitting curled up on the left corner of the porch, watching the other Shinobi summoned by the Head of the Village entering the wooden hut. There was an air of tension in the crowd that had formed in front of the door. They all looked rather upset or annoyed, some shot nasty glances on her direction. She knew she was the one responsible for their mood, and she couldn't help but turn to the other side to avoid another embarrassing eye-meeting. After some time, her stomach started knotting up, so she decided to go for walk around the house while waiting for everyone to be inside.

She tried to distract herself by playing with the grass with the tip of her sandals when she realized that she didn't hear from Chomei ever since their meeting with the two weird men. Chomei was literally the closest creature to her. Not only she considered him her family, but he was also her best friend and mentor. If it wasn't for him in the hardest times, she didn't know how she would have the strength to keep going on and live. Life was too complicated to deal with on her own.

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate to reach the deeep layers of her mind when a loud thud turned her attention back to the hut. Noises were coming from the room where the meeting was held. With a mixed feeling of curiosity and apprehension, she walked towards the hut and rested her back next to the window where the chatter was coming from. She was involved in what was happening so in her opinion she had every right to eavesdrop. She then let herself slowly slide down to get into a comfortable position. In a matter of seconds, what seemed like a confused chatter started to get clearer as sounds were becoming distinguishable, turning into words, then sentences.

“We can't stand a situation like this Shibuki! Do you realize what you're asking us to do? Even if there are very good Shinobis among us, the majority of the inhabitants are civilians. We can't put them all in danger!” a man shouted, anger tainting his voice.

“He's right my Lord. We don't know when the reinforcements from Konoha will come. We should better give them what they want. We never made any use of the Jinchuriki anyway. We either use her to fight or we try to negotiate with them. Maybe we can conclude a deal and...

“Now stop please, Shibuki said firmly, I understand your concerns but we can't just give her up. The Tailed-Beast is most powerful tool of our village.”

 _Powerful tool,_ the words stuck in her throat and were now resonating in her head.

Shibuki continued “We are the only Shinobi village outside the great five villages to have a Tailed-Beast. As your leader, I cannot take decisions only according to the present circumstances, I also need to take into account the future of our village, and I have to make sure the next generations won't suffer from the consequences of the surrounding countries belligerence. Giving the Tailed-Beast away is out of question. I know how you feel about Kegon, but it happened to be an accident more than the aftermath of the fight. We actually don't know how powerful they are, but we shouldn't overestimate them either.”

“We can't wait for things to happen, my Lord! If we really have to fight, then the Jinchuuriki must come as well. After all, they're coming for her. She could be of use for once, right?”

“Please, watch your words!”

“How can I? Shall I remember you that my brother is incapacitated because of her foolishness?! Do you only know how hard did he work to become a Jonin? Have you the slightest idea of how he feels now?”

She could only guess.

“I can understand your feelings but we need to think logically before we act, Shibuki replied. I have no objections in sending her to fight. She is powerful enough to handle them but she needs to be prepared for the confrontation. I already sent four members of the task force to put traps on a radius of 3 miles around the village. Hopefully it will help us gain some time. So first, we need to think of a strategy. Regarding Fuu, I'll take care of the matter. I know how to manage her so she will listen to what I'll say.”

 _He knows how to "manage" me? Is that how he actually thinks of me?_ She didn't need to hear more. _So, from the very beginning, the only thing that truly ever matters is that I'm a Jinchuuriki?_ _Of course! Otherwise why would he tell me I was born special?_ She was nothing more than a tool and she would always be. Warm tears were already dampening her cheeks, her chest was tightening, and the urge to fly far away, as fast as she could, was screaming inside her head. She didn't need to think twice, she was already high above the trees. She decided against crossing the village to go back home. Her heart was clenching at the sight of the lights that were coming out of the houses. At least Shibuki valued her for something, because it seemed that the villagers despised even that aspect of her.

 _Everything makes sense now_.

The small hut that served her as a house was in the periphery of the village anyway. Little sobs escaped her mouth as she let the fresh wind dry her eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Her mind was so confused when she entered home that she let the door she slammed wide open and throw herself on the old foam mattress on the floor she used for a bed. She grasped the pillow that was half-emptied of its content and buried her face in it to suffocate the feeling of anger and sadness that was overwhelming her. She then let the tears stream down. Everything inside her head became blurry, and for a time that seemed never ending, she just cried. As the pain lessened, the thoughts started getting clearer, and this time, Chomei was there too.

What had happened to Fuu only reminded him that, no matter how close they were, being sealed inside her was more a curse that poisoned her life, a curse that she would get rid off with death. He saw three generations of Jinchuuriki pass away. Eren was the first and the most painful loss. They had all lived a recluse and isolated life, because of him. And they all died when the time to pass the Tailed-Beast to next generation came. He kept going on with the promise that he would try his best to make the life of his host the most bearable possible. He had take care of all of them, he comforted them when things went wrong and he celebrated with them the good events of life. Yet, he couldn't help but to think that this was not the kind of life they should have lived. They deserved better, they deserved to live longer, they deserved to be love and hated for who they were, not because of something that didn't depend on them. And so, Fuu didn't deserve that either.

He knew that Shibuki didn't truly mean those words. He was the Head of the village and when it came to deal with its people, a leader needed their sustain in order to ensure peace within its walls. He couldn't allow himself to express his thoughts freely in front of them if he wanted to keep matters under control. Chomei knew Shibuki cared for Fuu, but what he heard that night only confirmed his fears. He didn't know how long the young leader would be able to keep the situation under control. One day he would be on the horns of a dilemma, and Chomei dreaded that moment would come soon. It was better if Fuu left the village without anyone knowing. But other threats would expect her outside. Today only proved it. He didn't know why Eren's brother showed up after so long. He never met him before but he knew who he used to be from his sister telling. As a child, he used to be a silent and sensitive boy. The poor young man had been naive enough to believe his superiors and accept the mission they had assigned to him in exchange freeying him and his siblings from slavery. Unfortunately, it had only backfired with terrible consequences for him and his beloved ones. No wonder he had done what he had, as horrible as his actions could be. Seventy-seven years passed since that terrible day, and Chomei didn't know whether to trust him or not. He might have been a good person in the past, but to lead that kind of life could corrupt even the purest of the souls.

Chomei felt his heart cluntch. Ever since that meeting, there was something he couldn't shake off his mind. A wave of sadness washed over him when he realized he reminded him of Eren. After all those years, he still missed her dearly.

Chomei desperately wanted to make things right. He remembered hearing some decades ago that some decendants of the Uzumaki clan had settled in Amegakure when their village had been destroyed. If Fuu was able to reach them, they would probably be able to find a way extract him without causing her death. The members of the clan were the descendants of Asura, the youngest son of his master Hagoromo, and they were known for being specialized in seals. Their ancestors were the ones that invented the techniques to seal the Tailed-Beasts inside human receptacles so they were great chances that they knew how to reverse it. If Fuu could make it there safely and meet one of the member, she would have a chance to finally live a normal life. Chomei expected her to sternly refuse. Although she was now rather upset and heartbroken from what she heard earlier, she was still very attached to the village. Leaving Takigakure would mean giving up the only home she ever knew, but he had to convince her for she had a chance of a better life if they succeeded in their quest. But they needed to hurry up. Shibuki would soon realize Fuu is no longer near the hut and he would send shinobis to check if she went back home. Then it would be almost impossible to leave without making a fuss, something Chomei wanted to avoid. Fuu needed to be prepared. As Eren used to say: “If you are prepared, there won't be any sorrow”.

Fuu was kneeled in front of his cage, rubbing her eyes and trying her best to sucking in the running nose.

“Fuu, dear, how are you feeling?”

“My head hurts so much. But it's okay. I guess he had his reasons... Iknow he didn't mean it but it still felt like betrayal... Anyway, as long as you're with me I'm good” she said with an attempted smile, her expression betrayed by the puffy eyes and the trembling lips. _She's a young woman now but she still looks like the little girl of ten years ago_ , Chomei thought, tenderly amused by the sight in front of him.

“Listen Fuu, I thought a lot about something”

“Mmhm”, a glimpse of hope appeared in her eyes and straightened her posture more than ever eager to listen what Chomei was going to say.

“I think it is for us to leave the village. I don't...”

Utter shock erased any feature of composure on her face was wearing. “WHAT?! WAIT. WHY?”. Fuu immediately stood up and ran to the enormous cage, then she laid her hands on two bars that were preventing her from getting too close to him and instead, she put her head in the space between.

“Fuu, listen carefully to what I am going to say. You are not safe here anymore. Shibuki will not always be able to keep you safe. I'm afraid he will soon have to make a hard choice and you will have to suffer the consequences of it. But... Please Fuu listen to me”

Her eyes widened. She was furious. _It's going to be harder than I thought,_ he said to himself, there is probably a way to extract me without causing your death. If we are successful, you'll be able to live a normal life...”

“I don't want a normal life! Why, out of nowhere, you start... Wait, is it because of what happened earlier?! But it has always been like this, Chomei!!! Shibuki and his stupid leader's manners are unnerving but he would never do us something like that!" she let her hands slide down and started walking backwards. "It doesn't make sense... You've been with me since forever, you're PART of ME! People should accept me how I am. And that will happen! You are the one who told me that!”

“Fuu, I am NOT part of you. I am a parasite, do you understand? And you've been lonely and in danger all your life because of me. The same happened with those who preceded you, and... I don't want the story to repeat itself anymore.”

“No. No, no, no..." She shook her head firmly. She didn't want to hear more. "Chomei, you've been with me since before my birth. You are PART of me. You have always been and you'll always be” her voice was shaking. She felt the blood throbbing in her arteries as a strong heat was making her way up to her cheeks. Chomei couldn't leave her alone, that was out of question.

“I made up my mind Fuu. It is time for us to part ways. It's for the best... We won't have much time to leave so you have to...” his deep voice was resonating in the giant hall of her consciousness. She couldn't hear the rest of the sentence as she already alienated herself from what was happening around her. At some point, the hall started shaking. It was getting gradually stronger until the hall was crumbling into pieces that disappeared in the deep black. She could hear Chomei screaming something but she wasn't listening anymore. She was still standing at the same spot with a lost look in her eyes, her mind emptied of any thought. The void that was separating her from the cage was widening until everything went dark, and the last thing she heard before going blank was her name.

When she opened her eyes, she was on her bed once more.


	6. Extra Chapter

At the last floor of Takigakure's Hospital, the last visitors were leaving the room Kegon and Yoro shared. They could have chosen to stay in separate rooms but after what they went through, they needed one another company. Unfortunately for Kegon, they arrived too late to fix his arm. It would take months for the injury to cicatrize properly but aside from anemia and physical exhaustion, he was doing well and would be able to leave the hospital within a week. The same was for Yoro, who was still thinking that their families and friends did much ado about nothing. On the other hand, he enjoyed spending time with his old friend so he didn't mind to stay at the hospital a couple of days. Plus, he did now have an excuse for taking the break he never had for almost a whole year.  
“How do you think she's doing?” Kegon said who was staring at the plafond.  
“I don't know, man. I feel sorry for her. The leaders did a poor job keeping her isolated, if the girl doesn't know how to behave herself it's because of them, said Yoro who turned his head right to look at Kegon, then paused for a couple of seconds, absorbed by his thoughts, his mouth curling up in a smirk. You know, I was just thinking about what happened. I mean, it just looked like a skit. She literaly invited... Kakuzu... over a cup of tea, hahaha!”  
“Oh shut it, they will hear you” Kegon said in his poor attempt to keep himself from bursting out a laugh while the other man was already burying his face in the pillow to suffocated his.  
“No! But the way she said it, like "How about we start like casual acquaintances", then what? Becoming best friends?! He's the boogeyman of village, hehe! I bet that even he knows that. Hey, that should be taught on the Academy: how to unsettle your opponent by inviting him for dinner, hahaha!!! Did you see his face? Even the other guy didn't understand what was going on, hehe!”  
To laugh was all they needed at the moment. Their bodies and minds needed to let go off steam. Kegon was well aware of his condition and didn't know if he would ever be able to perform ninjutsu. Medicine was doing great advances every days and they told him that there were experimenting new kinds trasplants. There was hope and he was grateful for that. However, the hard part had yet to come. One day, we think we accepted our fate and the next, the world seemed to have crumbled under our feet. He was aware of that fact, it was human to feel this way. But he had a family and friends who supported him and on whom he could count in hard times. I am lucky, indeed, he thought when the last person leaving the room closed the door.  
He kept replaying the scene in his and, he couldn't help but think that the meeting seemed almost surreal, and that the situation had been close to absurd. For things had gone fast and perhaps this is why this incident had happened. He wondered briefly what would have happened if Kakuzu had indeed accepted Fuu's invitation. It was an absurd thought that shouldn't have popped in his mind but he got curious about the man who was thought to have died long ago. But things went differently and he had to focus on the present situation to deal with what expected him next.  
Deep down, he was grateful Fuu had not been injured. She had no family, most of the villagers still had twisted ideas on her condition of Jinchuuriki. Except Shibuki, no one took her situation seriously. And both him and Yoro were feeling guilty for that. The last days spent with her only showed she them that she was young and careless, like many teenagers of her age. She drove them crazy all along but she had a good heart and didn't deserve that treatment. He knew she was feeling extremely guilty for what happened, and during the journey back to the village they were so focused and tired they hadn't had the strength to reassure her. Yoro hoped Shibuki would cheer her up a little. Next time, he would ask to let her come visit them.  
“Hey, man”  
“Yeah”  
“I'm hungry”.  
“Me too. I'm starving”  
“Okay, you call the nurse”  
“You jerk, I am disabled! Do it yourself!”  
“Man, are you kidding me? You're closer to the bell than me! It's on your right idiot, you still have your right arm doing fine.”  
“It's morning its sibling, leave it alone” replied Yoro with a mischevious grin.  
“So I have to get up and everything just because you're taking advantage of the situation, uh? Seriously, I thought you were better than that.”  
“Sorry to disappoint you. Now, can you call the nurse?”


	7. Chapter 7

She stared at the ceiling a couple of seconds, then sat up and straightened her position, trying to recall the events that preceded. Her heart was beating fast and loud, as it wanted break out of her rib-cage. Yet, she was feeling empty. When her thoughts started getting clearer, realization hit her like a hammer on the head. What happened with Chomei only seconds ago never happened before and the thought that she might have unconsciously got rid of him terrified her. Panic was churning her stomach so she decided to get in touch with Chomei to put her heart at peace. However, when she closed her eyes, she was alone in the darkness of her mind. In normal times, even if she didn't see him, Chomei would talk to her or he would change the flow of his chakra to make her know he was there. She could feel he was inside but at the same time... he seemed out of reach. For as much as she was desperate to see him, it was as if something was pulling her back.  
Her worst fears came true: she was alone, as she had never been before in her. Her heart was still racing, but then, her lungs started paining as if the room was lacking oxygen. The walls seemed to get closer, increasing the feeling of suffocation that was overwhelming her. Her thoughts were spiraling and getting out of control when three word popped up and suddenly awakened her:

You. Are. Dying.

_No. No, no, no. That's not gonna to happen._

It was all it took to clear her mind and take the situation under control. She wouldn't let herself go down. She would stand up and fight. It wasn't done yet. She needed to figure out what happened to her and Chomei and she would find a solution. _Be positive Fuu_. Chomei cared for her so whatever reason had pushed him to say those things, it was because he thought it was for her good. Now that she messed everything up, she would bring things back to normal. But for that to happen she needed to leave the village.

_I will leave tonight._

Feeling refilled with a new energy, she stood and picked up the red backpack that was on the floor where she had thrown it when she came in. While thinking about what she would need for her journey, a moment of hesitation stopped her in her moving around as she wondered about how Shibuki's reaction. In her current situation, she was more of a burden than anything else. She wasn't able to use Chomei's Chakra if she couldn't reach him, as she needed his permission to do so. And truth was that, without Chomei, she wouldn't be of much help in a battle. She just hoped that those who were chasing her down would give up as soon as they would know she wasn't in the village anymore. As she resolved herself to that thought, she walked towards the wooden cupboard on the right corner of the room and picked a red purse that contained her savings, along with the some clothes and books that passed under her hand. It hurt to leave some of them as she grew attached to every single volume she possessed but the backpack needed to be light, and the things she brought with her at the Chunin exam were still inside. When she finished, Fuu headed to the exit, pausing at the door for a couple of seconds to think if there wasn't anything important she forgot to take. Her parents didn't left much after they had passed away, except for some books and the orange hairpin that used to belong to her mother. Apparently they were very poor, and Fuu only inherited the small hut and the few pieces of furniture that were inside. Turning her back at the hut, she wondered how did it feel to miss home. She didn't have good memories, nor bad ones. For some reason, she had always thought that this house was only temporary, that one day she would leave anyway. It seemed that that day finally came.  
Without much thinking, she jumped down the cliff that was separating her from the outside world and began to run as fast as she could. Her chest still hurt and and her head was still pounding – it had been a struggle to keep control of herself – but she felt that this uncomfortable feeling was slowly leaving her. She would find a solution. Yes, this time, she would make things right.

****

Kakuzu was walking down the stairs, closely followed by Hidan who was struggling to keep his eyes open. Kakuzu decided they would have left after dawn, so they would arrive at the headquarters in the afternoon. The previous evening, he successfully convinced the chief to change strategy regarding the Jinchuurikis but they needed to discuss it further before informing the other members of the change and put the plan into action.

It had taken him hours of thinking to convince himself to capture the Jinchuuriki regardless and informing the boss of the unsuccessful mission. But then, an idea came up, one that would let the girl live, one that would spare his soul of being even more stained, for he was already beyond forgiveness.  
As the first member of the newly formed Akatsuki, Kakuzu had been well informed of Pain's plan to reach peace in the world. Through the organization, the young man wanted to gather enough power to start a war that would oppose the organization and its followers against the rest of the villages and countries that formed the Shinobi world. A war never witnessed before where there was no winner and where everyone would taste to the pain and the sorrow such violence can bring. It would be thanks to the shared experience that people would realize how wrong was the previous system. The Akatsuki would then establish a new order where peace would reign across the world. At first, Kakuzu had thought it was a terrible idea. Not only had it sounded too much idealistic, but for all the wars he had witnessed throughout his life, none truly brought peace. At least not to all the parties concerned. So that day, Kakuzu had smiled for the first time in decades. _The kid's ambitions go beyond imagination_ , he had thought. On the other hand, there was nothing to lose, and things that had seemed impossible happened all the time. So, even if he hadn't truly believed in it, he had decided to help him realize his dream.

Overall, they were in good terms and a solid relationship based on trust had been built over the years. Both Pain and Konan usually asked Kakuzu for advice when it came to internal or foreign affairs.

So, when Kakuzu proposed to change strategy regarding the Jinchuurikis, Pein had listened quietly to the older man. Kakuzu had brought up the fact that their goal was to deprive the Hidden Villages of their ultimate tool, so it didn't matter if they had the Jinchuuriki or the Tailed-Beasts, as it would change the balance of power anyway. Moreover, the meeting with the Seven-Tailed Jinchuuriki showed him how performant was the Tailed-Beast power when used by a human being. But from what he had heard, the Jinchuuriki had to go through an intense training from a very young age to be able to manage the immense power of the Beast. It was then more favorable to keep the Tailed-Beast inside the same Jinchuuriki rather than extracting it. Having them on their natural form was more likely to backfire. Also, from what he had witnessed, the girl had probably been isolated from society, and it was common knowledge that Jinchuurikis had a bad reputation among the people because they were seen as the incarnation of the monster sealed inside. They were treated as weapons, exploited to serve the military purposes of their country. In that regard, the organization could persuade them to join their cause in order to establish a fairer system. Pein had listened attentively to the arguments and had asked Kakuzu to discuss the matter with him at the headquarters the day after.

The rest of the night was spent in the quietness of the temple's backyard. The fresh smell of wood and grass allowed him to empty his mind. He couldn't sleep anyway. For age was well known to take this essential need away. But that was a good thing, sleep only brought him more turmoil. Anyways, he deserved no rest. 

When the first sun rays appeared, he went to the left wing and knocked at the door of the dormitory room where Hidan was sleeping. The loud bangs had startled the younger man, and it hadn't taken long for him to jump out of the bed and go straight to the door, knowing well the identity of the perpetrator and his motives. When Hidan had opened the door, Kakuzu was already on his way back to the entrance and informed him that they would have to leave soon. He just heard Hidan mumble something then close the door again. Thankfully he didn't have the strength to articulate words so he wouldn't have to start his day with shouts and curses - at least for now. The brat was too ill-mannered. These couple of days had been difficult for the older man and he felt he was running out of patience. The brat would have to learn to behave himself one of these days.  
After almost ten minutes, Hidan showed up at the entrance, trying to adjust his hair back, still looking half-asleep. Feeling frustrated by the way had been woken up, he decided to take his revenge and started complaining about how bad he slept in that dusty room and that he was tired and that he was hungry, and so on and so forth. But Kakuzu preferred to ignore him, and walked down the stairs, not bothering to listen to what he had to say. Seeing Kakuzu's reaction, Hidan quickened his pace to catch him up, then asked how the meeting had gone the night before.

"We will head to Amegakure".

"Yeah, I guessed we would have to go there. We're screwed, aren't we? What did you tell him?"

"You'll know."

"Come on, I'm your partner, I should be the first one informed, d***n! I was with you for this mission, remember?"

"Stop thinking you're the center of the world. You will know when the time will come."

"You really know how to piss me off from the morning, don't you? S***. Can we at least stop in the way to have breakfast?"

"Mmh"

"Great! Glad to know we can agree on something." It was all it took for Hidan to let silence settle once more on the empty unpaved road.


	8. Chapter 8

She had been running for hours. The cramps on her leg muscles were telling her to slow down, her throat and lungs were burning for the repeated breathing. She hadn't sensed anyone following her until then, and even if they started looking for her a couple of hours ago, she considered she put enough distance between her and the village so she could slow down a little and proceed with her journey by walk.  
She knew she would have to think about her next steps soon, but at the moment she only wanted to enjoy the beauty of the forest at night.  
Looking up at the sky, she couldn't help but think that, finally, for the first time in her life, she was free. She had dreamed of this moment all her life and, although the circumstances were way different from what she had expected, it finally became a true. It had been enough to chase away any feeling of guilt and despair that was haunting her when she left the village. Adrenaline was rushing to her brain as she started fantasizing about all the people she would meet on her journey and with how many people she would be able to befriend with. Perhaps she would find a place were she would befit better than in Takigakure, where people would accept her as she is. Feeling energy returning to her, she climbed on a tree once more and jumped from one branch to another.

** **  
The first sun-rays were changing the dark blue color of night into an array of clearer shades. The adrenaline that had fueled her until seconds ago had burned out, and the excitement that had moved her had slowly changed into doubt. Gravity was pulling her down, making her body feel even more heavier. Her eyes were itching and she was struggling to keep them open. She had spent a lot of chakra the last few days and now she was getting out of energy. She needed to rest but having no idea of where she was – all around her were the exact same tall trees than the ones she had seen when she had first entered the forest – she had no choice other than keep going on. Uncertainty invaded her as she started questioning the decision she took.  
Why did she leave in the first place?  
 _For Chomei, of course_ , she thought. She needed to find a solution for the mistake she made, and she had no idea how she could do it if she stayed in the village, and Chomei said they had to leave... but where?  
Upon realization, she abruptly stopped. Where was she going? She had no idea. She had just been so overwhelmed by the recent events that the only thing she had wanted was to escape that feeling of anxiety and oppression that was overwhelming her back at the village. This was the reason why. Not because of Chomei.  
She had wanted to be free, but thinking back at her choices, she realized how bitter freedom tasted. _It's not fair._ There she was: lost, tired and alone. She wanted to go back, apologize for her mistakes, beg Shibuki for forgiveness, and accept whatever punishment would await her. But she didn't even know how to do so. Once again, that burning feeling of anxiety was burning her down. She didn't have the slightest idea of where she was going, nor she knew how to go back. She could wait for a shinobi of her village to come and find her, but then, another problem would come up. A ninja that left his or her village without the permission was labelled as rogue; and no matter how hard he or she could justify it, a rogue ninja was a traitor, and the punishment that expected him or her was imprisonment in the best cases, death if he or she was proved to have committed unforgivable crimes. Although she would never fall on the second category – her power was too precious to be wasted away – imprisonment was not only an option in this case. What she had done had only confirmed the need to put her under strict surveillance. The idea of spending the rest of her life in these conditions sickened her – she would sooner or later lose her mind.  
She felt her heart sinking. She had just given up the only place that would have ever welcomed her. If only Chomei was here, she complained. He would have been able to stop her from... _Wait a second. Chomei told me to leave! It's all Chomei's fault! And then he just plays dead and leave me in this impossible situation. What a stupid thing to worry about him, he didn't even show up once from yesterday night. And I considered him as my kin... I've been so silly. He wanted to leave me, that traitor! Of course, he told me to escape from the village so he could be extracted and stuff, and what about me, uh?! I would have been alone like I've never ever been before, with no place to go back to, and HE would have lived his free life as he pleased?! YOU KNOW WHAT? I've made the first step, and I'm in a mess now, ARE YOU HAPPY?!!! But I'm not gonna let you get out so easily, you'll have to find me a solution first. ARE YOU HEARING ME CHOMEI?!!!!!_  
No one replied to that question, only the sound of wind stroking the tree-leaves was filling the void. Shame washed over her. She had never felt so stupid before. There was no way back; but there was no way forward either. So she crouched on the the enormous branch she had stopped on and laid her head against the trunk. She really needed to cool down. Pulling her knees up to her chin, she entered into silent observance.

She had always wanted to see the outside world. That's why she had sent the request to participate at the Chunin Exam. She had even threatened Shibuki to let her go. She was the one who wanted to leave in the first place, so she had just taken the opportunity when Chomei had told her they needed to leave. She had been selfish all along, and now, she was paying for her sins.

If Chomei asked to be freed, then they would find a way to do so. Chomei had been imprisoned in humans for an immemorable time, but he never once complained to her or made her feel guilty. No, he had been kind and supportive, he took good care of her while she was his very prison. _He deserves better than to be trapped inside me._

Feeling calm setting on her heart, Fuu climbed up the tree to reach the top of the canopy so she could have a better view of her surroundings and look around for any human activity in the closest range. However, the landscape was showing something quite unexpected: around a kilometer on her left, the forest was slowly replaced by a wide range of rocky pics that ultimately led to a desert plateau. If her memories were good, it meant she was at the borders of the Land of Earth. Looking at the desert landscape in front of her, she hoped she would soon find somewhere she could eat and rest.

****

  
It was probably close to twelve when she finally spotted a couple of beige buildings that included an inn and a small eating place. All around was the same rocky and desertic environment she had seen in the past few hours. The sun was high in the sky. From time to time, some wind would blow but instead of giving rest to the travelers from the tormenting heat, it would only add to the suffocating oppression that touched whoever had the crossed the desert at this time of the day. She was all covered in dust and sweat, and some wet locks of hair were glued to her cheeks and temples. She thought she had never felt so dirty before. So, at that very moment she sighted those two cement blocks, she thought it was worth all the money of the world. Feeling energy regaining her body, Fuu ran towards the inn, stopping only a few meters in front of the main door to drop her backpack on the floor and look for her wallet. There, life was as desert as the environment. The only other living being she sighted around was a man sitting outside the eating place, quietly sipping a cup of something. As she pulled the wallet out of her bag, she pushed the plexiglass door and went straight to the small reception desk on her left. Behind the counter was a middle-aged man, with greying hair and a pair of glasses hold by a lace hanging down his neck. Head low, he seemed to be too focused on his reading, as he didn't even acknowledge the person who just entered his place. Fuu didn't have the time to greet the receptionist as he mechanically said: “Welcome to the Taiyo Inn. Single room 4,500 ryos; double room 8,400. Check-out at 9:00. Caution 1,000 ryos. No-smoking rooms. If you do, anti-smoke will activate and it will be 1,200 ryos of fees. No laundry nor food service. If you want to eat, there is eating place right next to the inn, and behind it you'll find grocery store for essential needs.” Then he pointed his index on a pile of flyers on his left. “Here you can find the maps and all the useful information regarding the Land of Earth. Closest village: Kuroishi, 17km northeast. Weather forecast for today: sunny, 38°C. Tomorrow, windy. Average temperature 40°C. So, single or double?” The man said, keeping his eyes down. Fuu was a little unsettled. She had little to no experience when it came to these kind of services, but the place was anything except welcoming. There was a lot of information to take in – she wasn't even sure she memorized everything. The reception was a small hall with grayish walls and a tight staircase that was leading to the upper floors – probably to the rooms. And to add to the picture, it smelled hot dust and old paint in there. Her first experience of the 'outside world' alone was rather disappointing.

After a few seconds of silence, the receptionist decided to take a look at the client and see what was wrong. Hearing the noise coming from behind the desk, Fuu turned her attention back at the man that was now standing, wearing a concerned look on his face. “Are you lost kid?” was the only thing that came out of the man's mouth. Fuu didn't know how to answer that question. Was she lost? Yes, but why would that matter? She wasn't a child anymore. In the shinobi world, after graduating from the Academy at the age of twelve, you were considered an adult. According to your strength, you could be assigned missions that were more or less deadly, and severe injuries were a commonality. In the world they were living in, with alternate periods of wars, childhood was a privilege that reserved to few groups of people – not to someone like her. As a Jinchuuriki, it had been all the more true: she had been born with an immense power that made her the most powerful weapon of her country, and so she had being raised up.  
So when the man had said those four words, all the concern and disappointment she had against the inn and its owner melted away, and that made her genuinely smile “ I'm fine, Sir. Thank you. Could I have a single room please?”


	9. Chapter 9

It was raining as if it would never stop. The grey clouds were merged with the high buildings of the industrial city. When Kakuzu and Hidan had reached the bed of the lake, it was well past noon. Of course, it was hard to tell only by watching the sky. Hidan thought it deserved well its name: it rained every single time he had been there, and he was pretty sure he didn't have anything to do with that meteorological phenomenon.

Amegakure was the only village where the Akatsuki members didn't need to hide they appearance or their signature cloak. Everyone in the village knew that whoever was wearing it belonged to the closest circle of the Leader. Thus, although they were rarely sighted wandering in the village, the inhabitants hold them in high esteem and would make their best to please and to help them in the best way. When Kakuzu and Hidan approached the gates, the guards split into two then bowed, letting the two men continue their walk without disturbance. At the entrance of the village, they were welcomed by the smell of wet earth and rusted iron. The village was definitively the most technologically developed in the whole Shinobi world, but the city – severely injured by the aftermaths of the past dictatorship and the previous wars between the Elemental Lands – had yet to escape the poverty it was sloshing through. Although the quality of life improved greatly since Pain took power, there were still issues that were hard to overcome especially because of the ostracized status of the country.

For as much as Hidan loathed the way most of the villages turned after the war, he couldn't help but feel empathetic for Amegakure, because it felt like they didn't forget what they had been through, just like him. It wasn't his ideal place (he thought the weather was terrible and the architecture even more), but for the first time in forever, he felt a little at home there. Even if he would never admit it, he was glad to be part of the Akatsuki. He despised the fact they were miscreants and he always spent an awful amount of time mocking them or arguing. Yet, he couldn't help to feel bonded with every single member. Just like him, they had turned their backs to their hometown and the stability it provided to pursue a higher goal. Only those who did it knew what was the price to pay for this choice. But then, the Akatsuki came and gave them an anchor in a world where people like them weren't neither cats nor dogs. It gave them a place to stay, allowed them to achieve their dreams and contribute in the higher goal of changing the world. Sometimes, a sense of guilt would point out that they didn't deserve his acknowledgment because they didn't believe, that he was committing a great sin and that they should be sacrificed for Jashin instead, but he could never resolve to that thought, rather preferring to ask Jashin for forgiveness in endless prayers and rituals that would bother his partner and the other members in a terrible manner.

On the way that led to the tallest tower of the city, Hidan stopped at a small eating place and ordered two meals to take-away. After leaving the temple, Kakuzu had hold true to his word and they stopped once for breakfast – his breakfast, Kakuzu never ate when they were outside; he would sometimes buy small things to take away and some water that he would consume later when Hidan wasn't around or was sleeping. For some reason, the older man didn't want anyone to see what was under his mask, and Hidan didn't dare ask him. Yet, he still thought the man wasn't eating sufficiently. When he asked Kakuzu how he could hold on with so little food, the only reply he had got had been “One of the few advantages of being old”.

Now that they would finally access their rooms, the old man could eat a proper meal in all due privacy. Soon after he ordered, Kakuzu joined him at his side and said: “Don't take too long, we need to go”.

“It's okay, I just ordered a take-way. For you too. 'Didn't eat anything this morning, did you? I got you a dish with fish and rice, and...”

“I didn't ask you anything” Kakuzu said while walking aside from the restaurant.

_Aaah! he's embarrassed_ . _Just a question of time, he would thank me later._ Heavy raindrops were now hitting the floor and everything that was interrupting they way towards their final destination, mixing its typing melody with the chatter of passer-byes. Looking behind his back, Hidan could see people of every age, in groups or alone, running their businesses as if the nothing had changed.

To witness the banal routine of civilians was almost embarrassing for someone like him. They spent so much time hearing the sound of clinging metal or explosion bangs, screams of pain and supplication or just utter silence, that the sound of the crowd living their daily life felt unnatural. Being around people who lived a quite and normal life was making them feel how much they didn't belong to that world. And yet, there was an unconscious need that would pull them towards these places to witness these spectacles from afar or hidden in a corner.

The waitress finally arrived with two steaming bags and handed them over to Hidan with a smile, wishing the two men a good day. Hidan thanked her back and turned to join Kakuzu when the waitress called him again and gave him a black umbrella saying the bags would get wet under this rain, and it would be a pity if their meals got ruined. He accepted the umbrella and thanked her back with a slight bow of the head. He then walked next to Kakuzu who already took the umbrella from him, letting him carry him the two bags with more ease.

“Thank you” Hidan said, to which Kakuzu replied with his typical “mmh” as the two men silently proceeded with their walk.

Hidan went to his room without arguing, leaving Kakuzu to meet the Leader alone. The discussion went smoothly and quickly. The leader said the plan was worth a try. He would stop the search for Jinchuurikis for now, and wait to gather enough data before establishing a contact with them. In case of failed cooperation, they would proceed to their capture. In the meantime, they would go on with the mercenary missions they were given, and keep hunting down bounties. He would wait tomorrow to inform the rest of the members of the new plan, as Deidara and Sasori were already on their to Amegakure and Kisame and Itachi had to finish the mission they had been assigned on the Land of Waves. Overall, Kakuzu was satisfied with how things went, although he couldn't shake off the thought that the Leader could have thought about it before. Kakuzu was suspecting him to be under the influence of someone else. Of course, it was only an intuition. The young man always made sure to have the last word on every matter. He even made himself worshiped in his own village as god. But he was very much a human being and he was very young. His overconfidence could easily be turned against him, for people like him were indeedeasily manipulated. Perhaps he was just fearing the young man would fall in a trap.

Kakuzu walked out of his office and took the staircases to go on the floor on which were the rooms.As he arrived in front of the door, he saw a bag hanging on his door handle. He let a small sigh escaping his mouth, then he took the bag and entered his room. He didn't need to be pitied, he was fine all by himself. The brat was really exasperating. He either wouldn't shut his foul-mouth or he would care and bother with things that weren't necessary, without mentioning he relied too much on him, which made him more a burden than a partner. Trust was something the didn't exist in the Shinobi world, let it alone among criminals. It would only backfire sooner or later, just as it had happened to him. And deep down, he didn't want it to happen.

He put the bag on the desk that was facing the window, then headed to the bathroom. Whenever the opportunity to rest and retire from his activities showed up, he would take back the routine he had had when he used to have a home. He would take a bath, then wear clean clothes that usually consisted in a mid-thigh long sleeve shirt with vents in the sight and black cotton pants, he would tie his hair in a low ponytail then put some perfume, one with plant and animal extracts that was getting even more rare to find as synthetic perfumes were taking more shares of markets those days. That ridiculous ritual was what was making him feel that he was still human, the last thing along reading books that helped him keep his sanity. Each time he looked at his image in the mirror, he would wonder why such a vile creature was still walking on the face of Earth. On his face, as well as on the rest of his body, was traced the map of his long journey: the stitched scars that extended the line of his mouth from ear to ear, to his eyes reddened by the curse and time, all were the memorial of his first death. The other scars scattered around the rest of the body were a reminder left by his opponents.

Outside this room, he was just a hopeless monster with a criminal past, but behind the door, he was what remained of the man that died seventy-seven years ago. And he intended to keep it this way until his time would come to an end.

Sitting in front of the desk, he switched on the kettle and prepared a cup of Oolong tea. That day hadn't been a bad one so far. The smell that came out of the plate was not terrible either. He wouldn't thank the idiot properly because it would only give him more confidence and would trespass the limits again, but he would return him the favor sometime soon. Maybe.

As Kakuzu settled to observe the sunset on the city, the noise of a paper slipping under the door into interrupted the quietness of his mind. _No rest for the damned_ , he thought while he stood up and went to pick up the piece of paper that was carrying the chakra signature of Konan. Yet, something in the note caught his attention. After a few seconds, the look in his eyes softened, making the wrinkles between his eyelids almost disappear. Fuu had escaped from Takigakure. Now she was actively researched by her former village with the help Konoha and Sunagakure. No jinchuuriki had ever escaped from the village they belonged to. Right at the moment, the Shinobi world had lost one of the key pieces that helped balancing the powers in a world on the edge of war. But that wasn't what concerned the man as that had to happen anyway. She had chosen the same path he had taken years ago, and that bothered him. True, she freed herself from a system that used people as chess-pieces for the interest of few, but the choice she made left her with no place to settle down. She had just given up on the only opportunity to have a stable future, for as much as that said future was far from being ideal. Right at the moment, she was either a 'Nobody', or a 'Traitor'. “To be or no to be, this is the question” said the character of one of the old books that composed his collection. It couldn't be said any better. At the moment, her best option was to accept to collaborate with the Akatsuki. They would provide her with a shelter and protect her from her persecutors, even if she would have to use her power to serve the organization's purpose. Kakuzu paused a moment, wondering when did he start to care so much. Was he getting senile? Ignoring this last thought he went back to his chair. _Hopefully, the girl is lucky enough, and she is in the Land of Earth now. There, they would not be able to catch her without causing major political problems._ Sipping his tea, he watched the night gradually setting on Amegakure.


	10. Chapter 10

Upon entering the room, she took off her shoes, then threw herself on the bed, with bags still on hands. She really wanted to enjoy a little of care-free time before she would have to think about her next steps. It was far from being the first experience alone of the outside she had always dreamed of, but ending up in that place gave her a glimpse of an interesting aspect of civilian life she never had a chance to explore: business. The area was a turning point on the commercial route that bonded the Land of Earth with the Land of Fire and the rest of the Shinobi world. Although the two countries weren't politically in good terms, the ancient Silver Road had never truly lost its importance for the merchants. The Road wasn't as frequented as it used to be, but it was the safest way to cross the borders, so it wasn't unusual to meet a convey of goods or some merchants on the way. The inn and the eating place were a rest area before entering in the Land of Waterfall.

After a quick shower and a nap, she had gone to the eating place near the inn where a young man was rearranging the tables. He had explained to her that, since it was very hot in that moment of the day, most of the people would wait until around 3:00 pm to come out and eat. Travelers would arrive start arriving at this period too, so it had been quite a surprise to see such a young one like her in that place at that hour. As his first client, he served her the local specialty. Lunch went by quietly, as Fuu busied herself filling her empty stomach while the man was cleaning the counter. When she went towards the counter to pay, the owner made a gesture with his free hand as if sweeping away the very idea of her paying. Seeing her a little unsettled, he let a light laugh escape him then told her that it was on the house. At that moment, three people entered, a woman accompanied with two other men. The three were talking about something regarding a new contract with a fisher company, located somewhere in Kirigakure. The attention of the owner then drifted towards the new customers, and Fuu exited silently the place and turned around went into the small grocery store to buy some snacks and some other items she forgot to take with her when leaving her house.

Thinking back at her run away, Fuu realized it was the doom of destiny that she hadn't ended up in at the borders' gates. She would have either been imprisoned by the Land of Earth or given back to Taki were the same fate would have awaitened her. From now on, she would need to move carefully and hide her identity – that meant she couldn't be herself among others anymore without risking her life. This thought left her with a bitter taste. I _should stay positive, just as Chomei always taught me,_ she thought, turning her head to look over the window. Chomei hadn't showed up once ever since yesterday night, and it was getting really anguishing, as if something was digging her from the inside. And this awful feeling was promising to follow her for the rest of her life. _How can one live such a lonely life? Is it even worth living like this?_

Closing her eyelids, she secretly hoped Chomei heard her and would intervene to correct her statement, reminding her life was precious.

Nothing.

There was no one beyond her eyelids except her. She puffed in annoyance; she could understand he had wanted to punish her with his silence, but she recognized she had acted childishly and she was really sorry what happened. Right now she needed someone she could trust and on whom she could rely on. She never felt so lost in all her life, and it was getting really hard to bear. _Chomei? Chomei, please, forgive me... I'm so sorry Chomei... I beg you, please... forgive me..._

She didn't know what else to say. She had no prior experience. It was the first time she had argument with Chomei and she was scared to death he would never forgive her for treating him like she had. However, thinking back at the stories she had read, it was actually quite common for friends to have arguments. Moreover, sometimes it was thanks to those hard times that they friendship would go stronger. She rolled on her back to face the ceiling. Time was all they needed. When he would feel ready, he would come back to her. She just needed to be patient – she who patience had none. _Time to grow up Fuu,_ she told to herself. Feeling a little more confident, she jumped up and stretched her body. For the moment, she needed to focus on her next steps. So she turned to the small desk opposite the bed and picked up the flyers and the map the receptionist had given her; then she turned to the bed where she left the bags to empty them of their content. Picking up a red pen and a bag of spicy snacks, map laid in front of her, she settled to choose her next target.

At the time she fell asleep, the stars were already blinking in the sky.

On the following morning, soon after dawn, Fuu was already going down the stairs. She decided this place would have been the last one where Fuu of Takigakure was seen. Since the Land of Earth didn't have friendly relationships with her homeland as it was the ally of the Lanf of Fire. She probably had less than a week at worse before Takigakure-nin and reinforcement from the allied shinobi villages would get the authorization to cross the borders without starting another Great War, which gave her enough time to get off the grid.

As she descended the stairs, she crossed paths with the woman she had seen the day before. The lady stopped in her track and turned as if wanting to ask the young girl something, but thought against it and kept going up. Fuu didn't give it much attention and went straight to the receptionist to greet him and give the keys back. When she appeared into his line of sight, the man stood up, a ghost of a smile drawing on his face, and took the keys from the girl.

“Good morning! Slept well?” he said as he put the keys back behind the counter.

“Yes sir! I recovered from yesterday's trip now. Hehe, I was quite a mess, wasn't I?” Fuu said as she lowered her head in embarrassment, thinking back at how terrible she had looked the day before.

“Well... I understand it is part of Shinobi life but... Well, I still feel it's quite a young age for this kind of travels” the man looked rather upset at the idea. “Anyway, what's your next destination?”

“Kuroishi! I already read all the information necessary about my trip. Mmh, I was thinking about stopping in one of the two villages that are in the way, I'll decide once I'll be there”.

“You should make a halt at Harago, it is situated next to a branch of Kosa River. There are grasslands all around. It's pretty. It changes from the never-ending dust. Oh, today is Friday, right? Usually on Fridays, some caravans stop there to make the full of water before they continue their journey. The nomads take every opportunity to sell their merchandise, even outside markets. You should take a look, they bring very interesting stuff from every part of the world.”

“Oh, that's wonderful, thank you so much! I'll be leaving, then. Thank you again for everything sir!”

“Yeah, take care and all the best.” she heard while she pushed the front door.

The landscape that appeared in front of her was nothing like the place she had been the day before. There was a slightly fresh breeze and the pale sandy color of the desert had been changed in a myriad of shades that went from stone red to golden yellow. The sun painted the brush stroke clouds in a similar way, but the most beautiful feature was how the light blue sky contrasted with the rest of the picture. She stayed a couple of seconds in contemplation to print the image on her mind, then she turned to the unpaved road.

It didn't take her too long to reach Harago. It was indeed a small village, with more or less tall houses clustered around the edges of the stream, joined by a old stone bridge. All around, the land was paved with a fresh green grass that made it difficult to think this place was in the middle of a desert. As she approached, a small crowd around a line of colorful tents. Women and men alike were screaming from their stalls full of goods of any kind, shouting prices and reduction promises to whoever came to buy from them. Some were already in front of the stalls, with their chosen pieces on hand, bargaining with the sellers. Others were walking around or chatting, or just watching over the children who were running up and down the street. Fuu looked in amazement at the buzzing crowd in front of her. She had never gone into a market before, so this kind of human activity was completely unknown to her. Back at Takigakure, she wasn't allowed to go shop by herself. Most of the time, the people in charge of her education and security provided her with the all the food and clothes she needed. When she turned 12, she had been allowed to wander in the shops at the center of the village, but only once a month, and usually at the end of the day when most of the people was already back home. Shibuki had once told her it was a privilege of being served, that in daytime markets were a place you should better because of the confusion and the brawls that occurred from time to time. She had known back then, that there were other reasons behind the ban, but she had preferred to keep it for herself.

A sweet smell lingered her senses and brought her right in front of a small a man with greying hair. He was sitting on a stool, carefully putting a bowl of sticky rice in a giant aluminum pan that contained caramelized red berries. The fragrant fruity smell that came out of the pan was still mouth watering even after the man put a lid on it. He then turned to pick up a dozen of small bowls. Looking back at the people standing in front of him, he told them it would be ready in one minute. Her stomach was growling. She didn't eat anything before leaving; she needed to save as much money as possible. She didn't realize how little money she had actually had until she had counted down what remained and realized how fast the money could go. On the other hand, she could still have a treat there then wait until dinner. The dessert – if that was it – looked hearty and affordable. She would make an exception this time.

Once she finished her breakfast, she wandered around the other tents and exchanged a few greetings with the merchants, refusing politely their offers. She was indeed looking for something, but she wasn't sure she could find it. The previous night, she had thought deeply about how to cover her identity, and the first thing to do was to change her looks. She could use a transformation technique but that would require a great amount of chakra. Not only the jutsu would be dissipated if she was hurt or too tired, but it would become easier for sensitive ninjas to locate her. She had an advantage in that field as she learned very young how to hide her chakra signature – a precaution her teachers took in case she found herself outside the village with no protection. But it wouldn't have been enough either because the odd color of her hair would make her identifiable even by a passer-by.

She walked absentmindedly towards the end of the line until something caught her attention. Next to the last tent was a woman sitting on the floor with few items displayed on sheet.

_That's what I need!_


	11. Chapter 11

“Did you summon them all Shizune?”

“Yes Lady Tsunade, they are on their way.”

Remind me to send a message to Jiraya to tell him to come back as soon as possible. It would be harder to protect them if they are outside the village.”

“Yes ma'am!” Soon after, someone knocked three times on the door.

“Come in”, the nine people she was waiting for entered the office, some of them already on on alert, others still chasing away sleep. She couldn't blame them, being summoned so early in the morning and just two days after a Chunin exam that turned out to be more improving than expected, it was clear they needed rest, but no one was more suited than them for this mission. Ironically, it was because they had participated at the Chunin exam. Laying her back on the chair back, she let out a deep breath.

“Thank you for coming this early. I understand you still need to recover, but there is an urgent matter that has to be dealt with and you are the only ones in Konoha I can send on this mission. It is S-ranked, it's coming from the leader of Takigakure. The Nanabi jinchuuriki, Fuu, escaped from the village two nights ago after beign chased down by two members of the Akatsuki the same day.”

“So they are after the Tailed-Beasts once more, which means they will come here sooner or later for Naruto.” Asuma was the first one to speak. Memories of his first encounter with the older Uchiha and his partner were playing down in his mind. They had been lucky that day. They were three Jonin and they could hardly take down the two of them.

“Yes, I am going to send a message to Jiraya as soon as we are done here to ask him to come back to the village. For now, we have to focus on finding the Jinchuuriki of Takigakure before Akatsuki does _, if it's not already too late._ From the report I read, Team 11 already know of her existence, right? You have been sworn to secrecy by the Kazekage itself?”

“Yes ma'am. She was with the Kazekage when they attempted to extract their Bijuu.” Neji answered for the rest of them.

“Oh, the green haired girl”, Tenten said, "yes, I remember her. But... Why did she leave...”

“There is no time to make comments about what happened, it is an urgent matter, we can't let Akatsuki have the jinchuurikis. You already met her and you have seen her on the battlefield. You will have to patrol the northern and north eastern part of the Land of Fire. The shinobis sent by Takigakure have received just today the permission to cross the borders, but we are running out of time. The more you are, the better it is. NEVER mention that the person you're looking for is a Jinchuuriki. Did I make myself clear?!”

“Yes ma'am”, they answered in chorus.

“Good. Shikamaru, I let you make plan the search but I want Asuma and Guy to approve it before.”

“No worries” _What a bother, we don't even know where to start... And on top of everything a Jinchuuriki..._ “From what I got, she willingly left the village. What if she doesn't collaborate?”

“Use whatever means you have to capture her. But we want her alive so be careful.”

Shikamaru inwardly groaned. If the jinchuuriki mastered the power of the Bijuu, ironically it would be nothing like fighting just a freshly graduated Chunin. Moreover, they could come across the Akatsuki in their search. He would have to get prepared for every possibility and, unfortunately, the most simple issue had the least probability to realize.

Tsunade already dismissed them. Asuma gave the team 15 min to get all what they need for the mission then they would meet at the gate.

Shikamaru took a look at the file Tsunade had given him. She could be in any of the countries surrounding Takigakure, which included the Land of Earth. If she went there, then the mission would be for naught to them and a disaster for the Land of Waterfall. The last war between Konohagakure against Iwagakure was not even 20 years ago. If they ever discovered one of Konohagakure's allies had a missing-nin that turned out to be a Jinchuuriki, then the Fourth Shinobi War would be more than likely to happen any time soon.

“Run, run, run” was the only word that she kept repeating. But the faster she was trying to run, the slower she was getting, shortening that little distance between them that kept her safe. Everything from the trees to the road was getting tighter, until she couldn't feel her legs anymore. Then a stone wall suddenly appeared in front of her, quickly followed by the sound of shoes cracking on earth. They were already there, standing in behind her. No matter what she would do, she was cornered. The two men didn't move, they just observed her, but what was trespassing from their eyes was announcing the end of the chase. The only way out was throw herself on the floor and disappear beneath the earth...

She shut her eyes open and took a deep breath, then quickly turned her head around to check her surroundings. She was still sitting in the corner of the carriage she had taken in Harago. The vehicle was shaking tremendously on the uneven road, rocking the travelers back and forth in the process. With her, there were six more people, four men, a woman and a child. They were silently sitting on each side of the carriage. Two of them were sleeping on big fabric bags, the woman and the man sitting next to her were looking outside while the child was sleeping in the arms of the man sitting on the corner in front of her. They were all wearing worn-out and soiled clothes and they looked already exhausted. Back at the market, she had heard someone talking about migrant workers who had to travel from city to city to find temporary jobs. Some small countries had fallen into poverty after the previous war, leaving thousands of people without a home and without any mean of livelihood. This is why many had decided to cross the borders. Because they were illegal workers, people would employ them for the most tedious jobs or they would give them a miserable pay knowing they couldn't turn to the police forces without risking to get expelled from the country. So they would travel from place to place, waiting for the moment where they were given the permission to reside legally and live a more decent life.

At first, she had thought to be a good idea to join them as they would surely know where to look for a job or where to sleep, but a sharp feeling of guilt made her quickly change her mind. She didn't deserve to ask them for help. They were living this miserable life because everything had been taken away from them. Unlike her. She had willingly given up the comfort her village offered her. How could she ask them for help?

Fuu gave a glance outside from the large splits of the tarp that was covering the carriage. The driver told them they would reach the city of Arane in the late afternoon. She felt a little sorry for lying to the receptionist but she couldn't risk to let clues about her movements. A green-haired kunoichi of Takigakure had indeed headed to Kuroishi, not her. She was just an orphan migrant with braided mahogany hair that answered to the name Miyu, and she was heading to Arane to start a new life.

The sun was low but Arane was nowhere to be seen. The never-ending shaking of the carriage sickened the most sensitive among them so they needed to do more stops than planned.

Seeing that the trip would take a little longer, some of them shared some snacks with the others and started talking, mainly discussing the situation of the Land of Earth, which caught her interest. She kindly declined the food one the man offered her, but she felt it was okay if she got a little closer to listen to their conversation and take the opportunity to learn a little more about the country and where they were actually going.

Arane was a popular destination among migrants for two main reasons: the job opportunities and the important communities of foreigners – this point was particularly important. Many went there to join a family member or a friend, and the great advantage to have someone who knew the place was to have easy access to a job and a place to stay. Another good thing about Arane was that the city hosted many charity organizations that offered a place for the night and a meal for those who didn't have anywhere to go.

Fuu parted with them as soon as they started talking about their home countries. For the moment, she had all the information she needed to start. She unconsciously wanted to reach Chomei and talk to him about what was going to happen next, but the that void she was feeling inside reminded her that in this journey she was on her own. She would have to remember to learn more about Bijuu and seals to fix this horrible mess. _Yes, reaching Chomei must be my priority number one._

Suddently, the carriage stopped causing all the passengers to be thrown forward. Fuu wanted to get out to see what was happening but she was halted by the woman sitting at the other end of the bench. She pointed with her finger at the place Fuu had been sitting then put the finger back on her lips. The man on whom was sleeping the child was covering the kid's mouth with his hand, although the child was sleeping soundly, and the other three were as much silent and focused. The atmosphere was tense and that bothered Fuu to no end. There was something odd happening out there and she was the only one that didn't know what was going on. Whispers could be heard from behind the panel that was separating the passengers and the drivers, so Fuu tried to get some bits of the conversation but it was still incomprehensible. After a couple of minutes, the carriage moved once more. She could see shoulders dropping and faces relaxing. The woman then turned to her and said: “In this part of the desert there are groups of rogue ninjas that live by taking money from travelers, sometimes even kidnapping them. They take advantage of the fact that we are civilians because they know we would be no match against them. Those people are very dangerous, they kill for nothing. This is why I didn't want you to go out. I guess you didn't know about that...”

“No, I didn't. Thank you so much”.

“No worries dear. Just remember for next time to be more careful.”

“She's right” said the man sitting in front of the woman “even once you'll be in Arane, you must avoid shinobis. Those you'll meet in Arane are loyal to the Land of Earth and most work in the police force. They usually don't cause problems to people like us, but you never know... 'Might get into a twist-minded one so it's better to just avoid them all. Since they can use chakra, they think they are superior to us.”

“Mh, well... Anyone can be dangerous, not just shinobis. It's in human nature. We can...” the man who spoke couldn't finish his sentence as the carriage stopped once more but this time a man with a large thin scar on the right cheek opened the tarp at the back of the vehicle. The man was in dusty shinobi attire, and a sharp stroke was crossing out the symbol on the forehead protector the man was wearing on his front.

“He's right! Why do we always have to be the bad guys, uh? Come on, get out there. NOW!”


End file.
